teh herp?

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manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
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So basically, I have a doctor that thinks canker sores and cold sores are the same and mine are canker sores, but could still be caused by the herpes virus but he would have to test me? I got no where.
My dentist said they were a something ulcers but today they are much worse than yesterday and starting to turn a yellowish Color. They still don't hurt that much though. My mouth does, but not the things on the inside part of my lip.

-confused
 

interchange

Diamond Member
Oct 10, 1999
8,026
2,879
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Find a smarter doctor. Are you getting sicker? Or just more sores?

Canker sore = aphthous ulcer. Is that what your dentist called them? Do you have many of the same thing now? They can turn a yellowish color normally. They are usually very painful. I recommend picking up a tube of that Squigle at the health store. It does wonders.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
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Originally posted by: manlymatt83
I did. Today. And I got no where.

Doc, what are these?

They are cold sores

Ok, so I have herpes?

No, well, I would have to test for it. They are on the inside of your mouth, not the outside, so probably not herpes.

Well, aren't they canker sores then?

Same thing. Its all the same.

Ugh!

If you have cold sores, don't freak out. Yes, you have teh herp, but most people carry this virus. To put it lightly, you're just physically inferior in that your immune system isn't good enough to supress the virus. Just google herpes and cold sores to put your mind at ease.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
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Originally posted by: interchange
Find a smarter doctor. Are you getting sicker? Or just more sores?

I don't even know if I would call these things "sores". Aren't sores supposed to hurt or be blotchy or blistery? These almost look like someone took small little pieces of white duct tape (really tiny) and just put them on top of the back of my lip in random places. Yes, they are grouped together, but they don't hurt that much. What hurts are my gums (especially the gums around my molars), the inside of my cheeks, and especially the roof of my mouth.

My fever seems to be going away. My dentist suggested I take a Zpak, and I did yesterday, and today my fever was down from 103 to 99.9, and now its 99. Not sure if that's a coincidence, but I definitely feel my fever gone (after having it almost a week!).

These symptoms definitely didn't seem to be symptoms of teh herp because, for one, both the dentist and the medical doctor told me herpes cold sores usually appear on the lips or outside the mouth. Everything that's going on with me right now is inside the mouth, even if barely. I guess technically the "white tape" stuff I was saying is right against my lip, but its still on the inside of the mouth (I have to pull my lip down to really see them clearly). In fact, if I let my lips touch, even slightly, you can't tell anything is wrong. There's nothing visible from the outside with a closed mouth.

Canker sore = aphthous ulcer. Is that what your dentist called them? Do you have many of the same thing now? They can turn a yellowish color normally. They are usually very painful. I recommend picking up a tube of that Squigle at the health store. It does wonders.

Yes, the doctor called them aphthous ulcers. I would say right now if I look they are little small yellow bumps grouped together. They were white, but now turning a tad yellow.

For what it's worth, I did read online that an initial herpes infection can cause these symptoms: high fever, sore throat, sore inside mouth, etc. In fact, I read that initial herpes blisters can form inside the mouth (like mine have). The only interesting thing is that the documents I read also said you usually have things form outside the mouth too, which I have absolutely nothing on my outer lips or mouth. About two years ago, I tested negative for both HSV1 and HSV2 (we did this big STD screening at my College), and I'm not sure how I would have caught HSV1 since then if I did: only had one girlfriend, maybe have kissed a couple girls but none other than one recently, and definitely always checked for cold sores.

So who knows.
 

guy93

Senior member
Aug 2, 2008
341
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I had a similar problem, my doctor prescribed me these medications and in a few days i was good as new. My problem was also called herpes.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
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Well, I think the antibiotics must be working, because today I woke up, the inside of my lip was almost back to normal. Still a little "white duct tape" effect, and a little pain, but I'd say overnight it got 90% better. There isn't anything that looks like "Scabbing" or anything like that. Fever is completely gone now. Inner mouth still hurts like a BITCH though: roof of mouth, under tongue, every part of my gums, and my molars.

Today is day #3 of the anti biotic.
 

Sust

Senior member
Sep 1, 2001
600
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Symptomatic improvement with antibiotics is encouraging and suggestive of something bacterial either fully responsible or crashing the initially viral party.
The antibiotic should stay in your body for a few more days and your symptoms should continue to improve. Any worsening or lack of improvement should prompt another visit to doctor sooner rather than waiting for the scheduled follow-up appointment.

On a side note, might it have been coxsackie induced herpangina?
 

MikeMike

Lifer
Feb 6, 2000
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definately not the herp if they are just disappearing... especially on INSIDE of lip... outside herp, inside cank.
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
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This is the most dramatic canker sore thread I've ever read. Next week I will read a 12 page novel on athletes foot, where the author thinks his entire foot is falling off.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: skace
This is the most dramatic canker sore thread I've ever read. Next week I will read a 12 page novel on athletes foot, where the author thinks his entire foot is falling off.

When no one (not even my doctor) can tell me whether these are canker sores or teh herp, what else am I supposed to do?

This morning I woke up and the inside of my lip was bleeding profusively and it hurt like a bitch. My entire pillow was covered in blood.

And just an FYI, these "canker sores" are now up to 15 if I include the 3 on the inside part of my lip.
 

skace

Lifer
Jan 23, 2001
14,488
7
81
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
And just an FYI, these "canker sores" are now up to 15 if I include the 3 on the inside part of my lip.

Meh, I was just joking, I've never had more than 1 canker sore at a time though.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: skace
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
And just an FYI, these "canker sores" are now up to 15 if I include the 3 on the inside part of my lip.

Meh, I was just joking, I've never had more than 1 canker sore at a time though.

I know. it's just concerning. And that's why I really don't think these are canker sores either. But they definitely aren't typical of "cold sores" either.
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
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Should I post a picture?

Come to think of it, this could potentially be thrush... because these are groups of white almost "patch" looking things. Honestly, its almost like someone took a very thin thin glue and drew little circles on the inside of my lips in three different places.

But I had an HIV test in late December and it was negative.
 

conorvansmack

Diamond Member
Feb 24, 2004
5,041
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I have had canker sores in the past. Drying them out helps. A friend advised me to put alum (find it at the grocery store with the spices/seasonings) on them. That dried them out in about two days. Yes, it will sting, but it's better than bleeding all over the place.
 

imported_Imp

Diamond Member
Dec 20, 2005
9,148
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Originally posted by: skace
Originally posted by: manlymatt83
And just an FYI, these "canker sores" are now up to 15 if I include the 3 on the inside part of my lip.

Meh, I was just joking, I've never had more than 1 canker sore at a time though.

I've had 3 to 4 at once. If that happens, it's one really deep in my gums (not bitable), combined with 2 that were bit and one more under my tongue.
 

Sust

Senior member
Sep 1, 2001
600
0
71
Please post pics (macro shots if possible).
And if you have a lot of time, biopsy of lesion, pic of H&E stain of biopsy.

Also, are you on steroids at all such as prednisone?
 

manlymatt83

Lifer
Oct 14, 2005
10,051
44
91
Originally posted by: Sust
Please post pics (macro shots if possible).
And if you have a lot of time, biopsy of lesion, pic of H&E stain of biopsy.

Also, are you on steroids at all such as prednisone?

Seriously?
 

Sust

Senior member
Sep 1, 2001
600
0
71
Yes except for the biopsy with H&E stain.
What about the steroids?
Also any update from your doctor?
 

bradley

Diamond Member
Jan 9, 2000
3,671
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Lysine (1g per day) works as a safe and efficacious preventative and general treatment. It competes with the arginine that most sores need for replication and survival. Also some proline and vitamin C couldn't hurt. Obviously avoid arginine. Canker sore discomfort, lifespan, and frequency will be greatly reduced.